GPTU WEBSITE

Sunday, 23 November 2014

The Green Party Trade Union Group sends its support to NHS workers from all the unions who will be on strike tomorrow, (24/11/2014). The severe pay freezes imposed by the government are unjust and part of the unjust neo-liberal policies that punish the poor, the sick, the vulnerable and also those who provide health care.

As if that were not enough, NHS workers are sometimes doing their utmost to keep an adequate health service running inspite of misguided marketisation and cut backs.

We all need the work that these workers do and they need a decent wage!

On the2nd of December, dozens and dozens of George
Osbornes will descend on Downing Streetbefore the real penny-pinching
George gives his Autumn Statement. But while he will be
hiding the truth from us, our gaggle of Georges will be doing no such thing.

In a rare moment in politics they will all be telling the truth about
austerity, busting the myths that the ConDem government want us to believe are
facts, and admitting all the ways they have stolen from us and our public
services.

But honesty is tiring work for a politician so the Georges will be sitting down
to a feast as well. While they treat themselves to champagne, our volunteers
will be helping the public by giving away a sweet version of the scraps our
government allows us to have.

So come along to Downing Street onTuesday 2nd December at 5.30 pmand join the hundreds who will be
showing what austerity really is. Help us tell the truth about the damage of
the Budget before George Osborne makes his excuses. Maybe you’d like to play a
Greedy George, or share the sweet scraps with the passersby. Or maybe you just
want to stand with a placard held high and be heard.

Please join us for our annual discrimination law conference, which givestrade unions, law centres, CABx and other voluntary organisations thechance to hear leading barristers give their views on the latestlegislative developments and landmark equality cases.

The cost for trade unions, law centres, CABx and other voluntaryorganisations is £75 per delegate. TUC affiliates will receive one freeplace for every ten booked (the 10th place will be refunded after thebooking has been made).

No ethnic cleansing in the Caribbean

Caribbean Labour Solidarity have asked for our support toPicket the Evening of Dominican Cigars, Music and Rumon Wednesday 26th Novemberat the Royal Geographical Society, Kensington Gore, SW7 2AR from6.30pm

It is "Dominican Week" next week in London and the Royal Geographic Society are hosting an Evening of Dominican Cigars, Music and Rum for the Dominican Ambassador and guests. It is appalling to celebrate the country in this way, particularly as three weeks ago the Dominican Republic informed the Inter-American Court of Human Rights of its intention to withdraw its membership, a reaction to the international criticism it received following the 2013 Constitutional Court ruling and subsequent acts of discrimination against Dominicans of Haitian descent in the country.

The Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic made a ruling in September 2013, which retroactively stripped the birthright citizenship from tens of thousands of children, women and men, many of whose parents and grandparents were brought to work in the Dominican Republic’s sugar industry. The ruling covers citizens resident in the Republic since 1929 and their descendants.

There is a long history of racism, xenophobia and violence directed against Haitians and persons of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic, which cannot be disassociated from this latest injustice. It would do us well to recall that the last time there was a major governmental crack-down against people of Haitian heritage in the Dominican Republic, during the 1937 "Parsley Massacre" by the forces of Dominican President Rafael Trujillo, over 20,000 men, women and children were rounded up, then beaten or hacked to death for just being Haitian or simply looking as if they were because they were black.

It is scandalous that the Dominican court has chosen to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the 1937 massacre by stripping Dominican-born men, women, and children of Haitian descent of their citizenship, rendering them not only stateless but unable to attend school or make a living while becoming even more vulnerable to all kinds of hostilities including, increasingly, physical violence.

Davy Jones

Nov 18 (1 day ago)

Here is a statement from Caroline Lucas MP & myself (PPC for Brighton Kemptown) on the ICES decision yesterday:

We are disappointed that at yesterday's Brighton & Hove Council Policy & Resources Committee meeting some Green Group councillors including the Council leader Jason Kitcat, voted to accept a Health & Well-Being Board recommendation to out-source a local NHS service (ICES) to provide specialist equipment for people with disabilities to a private sector provider.

It is a complicated situation - the Sussex Community NHS Trust was threatening to pull out of the service, "cost shunting" the responsibility over to the cash-strapped local Council that only provides a small component of the service currently. This is deeply regrettable. But we believe the Council has made a mistake in allowing itself to be forced by the NHS Trust to out-source this service to a private sector provider.

There was no necessity to make this decision earlier today – the existing contract runs until September 2015, leaving plenty of time to seek alternative solutions to keep the service in public hands.

We are particularly disappointed in today’s decision as it is not one that is in line with national or local Green Party policy, that unreservedly opposes the privatization of NHS services. Neither was the ICES decision brought before the local Green Group or Green Party in advance for discussion. The Green Party councillors on the Council recently successfully proposed a motion to the full Council meeting opposing privatization of NHS services.

We reiterate our outright opposition to the out-sourcing of the ICES service and to support the staff in the NHS in their campaigns to remain in the public sector, and NHS campaigners fighting against privatization.

Sunday, 16 November 2014

TRADE UNION VICTIMISATION

Secretary of Haringey National Union of Teachers (NUT), Julie Davies, is currently suspended pending an investigation which has been triggered by two letters from the Haringey Early Years and Primary Heads Association and the Haringey Secondary Heads Association.

Around 90 NUT union members at two secondary schools in Haringey struck on Wednesday 5th November. It was the first day of sustained action over the victimisation and the campaign to defend Julie continues.

The local newspaper, the Ham and High, are conducting an online poll asking whether readers support the NUT or the headteachers in the current dispute over union funding and victimisation. The NUT are asking everyone to please vote in the poll.See the Ham and High poll here...

Pamphlet launch

London Region UCU have organised an event to launch the UCU pamphlet Why immigration is good for all of usWednesday 3 December, 6.30pmWestminster Kingsway College211 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8RA(Near Kings Cross station)Download the pamphlet...

Friday, 14 November 2014

Wednesday, 12 November 2014

GPTU sends its support to Haringey NUT and Julie Davies. we totally support the right of Union members to
elect whoever they choose as their representatives and we also
support Haringey NUT over the often contested issue of Trade Union
facilities and time which are necessary to properly represent TU members. Both
these issues are very important to Trade Unionism and threats against them
should be strongly resisted.

Thursday, 6 November 2014

“NHS workers have had their wages cut by up to 15 per cent since 2010 thanks to the government's draconian pay policy of pay freezes and minuscule below inflation pay rise”.

The Green Party Trade Union Group believes that this is characteristic of a nation where neo-liberal economics has run riot, penalising the poor, the sick, the vulnerable and also those who provide their health care.

Unlike Cameron’s cronies, nobody who works in the NHS expects to become a billionaire, but NHS workers will be striking again for decent pay on November 24th. The Green Party Trade Union Group sends it support, we all need the work that these workers do and they need a decent wage!

St Mungo's Bdwy industrial action works!

Stunning victory!

I have some great news!

Following seven days of strike action and with ten further days planned at St Mungo's Broadway, the management have now agreed to roll-back on all the changes to pay, conditions, policies and union recognition that were the reason for this dispute.

This was never a dispute just about pay, but it was all about protecting quality services for some of the most vulnerable people in society. This has now been achieved and St Mungo’s Broadway will continue with a reputation for providing services that the workers are so proud of.

This fantastic result is a testament of what can be achieved when workers, service users and commissioners stand shoulder to shoulder and say enough is enough.

Dear Peter,

Can you help support an important campaign for decent wages in the increasingly low paid and casualised entertainment sector?

Staff at the Ritzy Picturehouse cinema in Brixton, London, have been fighting a long and difficult campaign to be paid a living wage. They've faced strong opposition from management and the threat of redundancies, but by standing strong with their union BECTU, they've managed to strike a deal that has seen their base rate of pay rise significantly to £8.20 an hour.
However, this pay rise will only go to staff at the Brixton branch of the Picturehouse chain, not to staff at the other 21 Picturehouses around the country. BECTU are stepping up the campaign for all Picturehouse employees, from Exeter to Edinburgh, to receive a fairer wage for their work.Please help: Sign BECTU's petition
The people who work for Picturehouse Cinemas across the country love their jobs, they love cinema, and they love helping to bring great films to the public. What they don’t love is the poverty wages they are paid.
The company argue they can't afford pay increases. Yet their operating profits last year rose by 31% to £1.3 million, and their parent company, mulitnational cinema group Cineworld, made even healthier profits of £31 million in 2013. Other independent cinemas can do it - Curzon Cinemas now pay the Living Wage at all their cinemas across the UK.
There's clearly room for Picturehouses to treat their dedicated staff with more respect.
Although BECTU have members at many Picturehouse cinemas, the company won't talk to them about recognising the union or pay. One thing that helped change the company's mind in Brixton was pressure from their customers, who did not want to see staff at their local cinema exploited.
We're running a petition in partnership with BECTU. Can you sign it, and help show Picturehouse just how many of their potential customers nationwide believe they can and should pay their staff a living wage.Sign the petition now

Second NHS strike day announced: Monday 24 November

Unite members working in the NHS will step up their fight for fair NHS pay with a further four-hour strike on Monday 24 November.

Thousands of NHS workers took to picket lines at hospitals across England on the 13 October, behind a swell of public support, to protest against the government’s refusal to implement a tiny 1 per cent consolidated pay increase to all NHS staff. (check out the photo gallery below)

YOU deserve a pay rise – we know it, the public know it. Take action on the 24th to make sure the government knows it too.

Join a picket line on Monday 24 November between 7am-11am. Get your Unite flags and placards from your rep. Let’s show the government that it’s time to pay UP for NHS workers.

NHS workers have had their wages cut by up to 15 per cent since 2010 thanks to the government's draconian pay policy of pay freezes and minuscule below inflation pay rises.

You work hard taking care of others - now you need to take action.

Four hour strike action – Monday 24 November 2014 from 07:00 -11:00

Action short of a strike (work to rule), starting at midnight on Monday 24 November to 18 January 2015

Saturday, 1 November 2014

The Green Party Trade Union Group sends its support to striking FBU members who are resisting the government’s current attack on their pensions and retirement rights, which is just another part of a wider governmental attack on public services and workers’ pay and conditions. All workers deserve a properly paid retirement at the end of their working lives and should not be forced to go on working when they aren’t fit to do so, especially if, like firefighters , their work is physically demanding and dangerous. The firefighters' cause is just and GPTU members hope and trust that they will prevail.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW VIA EVENTBRITE!The 'Breaking the Chains' art exhibition and play highlighting modern slavery closes on Thursday 6 November, and so the last chances to see the exhibition are this Saturday 1 November, Tuesday 4 November and Thursday 6 November 2014, all between 2pm and 5pm. 'Breaking the Chains' helps to raise awareness of modern slavery of the border crossing sort that does not include workfare and the practices of Jobcentre Plus.

I believe that the Atlantic Slave Trade referred to as not comarable with modern slavery was once legal and people who saw the injustice of it took action to raise people's awareness and change the laws of the lands. Even in those days, some slave states were better and worse than others. Then and now comparisons that sidestep taking action in the here and now are a distraction. Action is required in the here and now to abolish modern day slavery in all its forms and slavery covers a broad spectrum rather than being an absolute.

We cannot bring back the dead but in helping to stop modern day slavery we are using what liberty we have constructively.

Please contact P.Murry at yrrumuk@googlemail.com if you are interested.

GREEN LEFT FRINGE AT AUTUMN CONFERENCE 2012

Both Green Left and the Green Party Trade Union Group applied to have fringes at the Green Party Conference September 7-10 2012, Conferences Committee turned down both these requests. Green Left decided to mount a fringe outside conference at 6-8pm on Saturday 8th September GPTU agreed to support this meeting and contribute towards costs of room hire. Video clips at http://greenleftblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/green-left-fringe-fringe-at-green-party.html